Talent, Luck, or Who You Know

Minstrel · 11-30-2008, 08:53 PM

Talent is most important. Like anything else, being in the right place at the right time (luck) can trump talent, but success probably correlates best (not perfectly) with talent. Who you know is definitely also important. The most successful artists are those with talent and end up with the right contacts.

Son of JayJamJah · 12-01-2008, 12:46 AM

More then anything it's honesty and determination. Are you good enough? Never stop working until they get there or you're not good enough to go any farther.

strappy · 12-02-2008, 05:46 PM

This is a great discussion. If you listen to the media channels with the most money invested in it, the music is all the same. Musicians in these bands may play well, but I don't think it takes any talent to tow the status quo. MOst groups on commercial radio because they get in with major labels and they're plugged into this pre-packaged promotional matrix that lacks any originality.

Anyone can play music. Being an artist requires creativity beyond the music. Your image and promotion has to be as creative as the music. I read in Wired about a group called Parts & Labor that's building an album from samples provided them by fans:
Parts Labor Album Features Hundreds of Fan Samples | Listening Post from Wired.com

This is a great example, because the process is generating media interst before the music comes out. They're also using businesses outside of the music industry (Gotvmail) to get the word out. This is a talented approach to building hype for an album.

The time of the pure musician, who just sits in a room and composes, is over. Artists have to be savvy with thier "brand" as well as with their music to reach a mass audience. I have way more respect for those that can do this for themselves and not just by getting discovered by a major label.

Double X · 12-02-2008, 05:50 PM

Marketability 100%, but usually has some talent.

11-30-2008, 08:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
Minstrel Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 436	Talent is most important. Like anything else, being in the right place at the right time (luck) can trump talent, but success probably correlates best (not perfectly) with talent. Who you know is definitely also important. The most successful artists are those with talent and end up with the right contacts. __________________ "Blow your tuneless trumpet, the choice is yours / We don't want the glamour, the pomp and the drums / The Dublin messiah scattering crumbs"

12-02-2008, 05:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
strappy Groupie Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 20	This is a great discussion. If you listen to the media channels with the most money invested in it, the music is all the same. Musicians in these bands may play well, but I don't think it takes any talent to tow the status quo. MOst groups on commercial radio because they get in with major labels and they're plugged into this pre-packaged promotional matrix that lacks any originality. Anyone can play music. Being an artist requires creativity beyond the music. Your image and promotion has to be as creative as the music. I read in Wired about a group called Parts & Labor that's building an album from samples provided them by fans: Parts Labor Album Features Hundreds of Fan Samples \| Listening Post from Wired.com This is a great example, because the process is generating media interst before the music comes out. They're also using businesses outside of the music industry (Gotvmail) to get the word out. This is a talented approach to building hype for an album. The time of the pure musician, who just sits in a room and composes, is over. Artists have to be savvy with thier "brand" as well as with their music to reach a mass audience. I have way more respect for those that can do this for themselves and not just by getting discovered by a major label.

12-02-2008, 05:50 PM	#14 (permalink)
Double X sleepe Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: boston Posts: 1,140	Marketability 100%, but usually has some talent.